A Breath of Fresh Air: Oasis in the Desert

Dear San Jose,

I have arrived in Las Vegas on Independence Day, July 4th.
Interesting to say how from a minute, all you see is the vast desert and the next minute, a bustling city in sight. By the way, how do you read this sign I happened to pass?

Welcome to Nevada sign.

Las Vegas, Nevada (Japanese: ネバダ州ラスベガス市にも行った)

The Strip was very lively, pedestrians fill up the wide sidewalks, much, much more than San Francisco's Market Street. Their disreguard here for crosswalk signals reminds me of Vietnam, where traffic signals are simply decorations.

The weather, I have to say, is HOT HOT HOT (Oh really, James?). Yes. A city in the middle of the desert, I should've brought water on my walk alone on the Strip, because my nose felt like it was going to bleed many times. The sidewalks are hot like frying pans, and the metal stairwell bars are oven grills. In case you're wondering, San Jose, I enjoy walking alone in the Strip for the same reason I stroll your streets alone: the feeling of Independence.
An Independence High School student independently walking on Independence Day to show his independence! (LOL, lame isn't it?)

Sidewalks are littered with prostitution cards, so much that it's like seeing black, dried-up gum. Also on them are stands where vendors sell their souvenirs and where bright yellow Las Vegas metro police officers with their bicycles stand on patrol. With sirens frequently blaring on the streets, and with cars honking every so often, this place is pretty noisy (in a good way, if you know what I mean).

Porn on the ground. Literally.

At Hurrah's Hotel and Casino

At night is when almost everyone comes out. This place is more crowded than the Shibuya district in Tokyo, you can hardly walk and the crowd moves at about 2 miles an hour. In the pedestrian overhead crossing bridges, you move even less--about 0.5 mph! Hence the reason is obvious why. The city is colorful with its tall buildings and draped over with the 4th of July fireworks.